Pages

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Be-Bo

My daughter is obsessed.

One evening last month during a routine bath, she discovered her belly button. The rest is history. :)

She loves lifting up other people's shirts---it's a treasure hunt for the next great belly button. She squeals in delight each time her tiny, pudgy finger makes it anywhere near someone else's "be-bo" (as a popular Sandra Boynton book refers to it).

My daughter's be-bo is quite unique. An outie. Shaped beautifully like a cinnamon roll that sits perfectly centered on her brownie-batter colored tummy. When she was just two months old, I took close up photos of her hair, hands, feet, eyes, nose, mouth, and of course, her be-bo.

This magical button is not just for decoration---though it is quite lovely. It's a reminder of someone she was connected to for thirty-nine weeks. A symbol. A place. A history.

My child doesn't know this yet. To her, her be-bo is a mysterious and fascinating toy that appeared one day on her tummy and has stuck around for more adventures. Whenever the mood strikes her, she can lift up her shirt and find it. She touches it, grins, and giggles.

As the years pass, I wonder what new and magical things my child will discover. And I am thankful for past, present, and future connections which appear to our family in surprising and beautiful ways.